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N0. 15,1I6. Patented June 17. 1856a m PETERS. Phow-Ulhognphnr. Wzminglnn, n. c.

ALFRED BELOHAMBERS, OF RIPLEY, OHIO.

MACHINE FOR THRESHING AND WINNOWING GRAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 15,116, dated June 17, 1856.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED BELCHAM- BERS, of Ripley, in the county of Brown and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Threshing and Winnowing Grain; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1, is a longitudinal vertical section of my improvement the plane of section being through the center. Fig. 2, is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 3, is a transverse section of the shoe, (as), (00), Fig. 1, showing the plane of section. Figs. 4 and 5, are sections of the chaff screen.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A, represents a framing in the upper part of which an inclined box B is placed, said box having an endless apron O, placed within it, the apron being formed of cords or strips of webbing crossing each other as shown in Fig. 2, so as to form a coarse screen. At the front or depressed end of the box B, there is placed a threshing cylinder D, provided with teeth (a) as usual and having a cap (6) over its upperpart.

E, is a concave placed underneath the cylinder D and provided with teeth (0). The concave is connected with an inclined board (d) which approaches within a short dis tance of the depressed end of the apron C, a space (e) being allowed between them.

F represents the driving shaft of the machine. One end of this shaft has a spur wheel G upon it, which wheel gears into a pinion on the shaft of the cylinder D, and also gears into a pinion (g) on the end of a shaft (h) on which a fan G, is placed, said fan being within a box H, below the inclined board (d).

I, represents a shoe which is suspended within the framing A, by rods This shoe has the usual shake motion communicated to it, by a bell crank and connecting rod actuated by an eccentric (70) on the driving shaft F, shown in black in Fig. 2, and in red in Fig. 1. In the upper part of the shoe I, a chafi screw J is placed its outer end being slightly depressed from a horizontal position and a wheat screen K is placed in the same position, a short distance below the screen J.

L, is a cheat screen placed in the lower part of the shoe I, and M, is an inclined spout attached to the inner end of the lower part of the shoe. The outer end of the spout M, communicates with vertical elevator troughs N, containing elevators O, and P, is an inclined spout containing a screen Q the spout P being connected with the upper part of the troughs N.

To the front end of the lower part of the shoe I, there is attached an inclined screen R, at the inner end of which there is placed a trough or spout S, slightly inclined and having a screen T, fitted within it. The inner end of the screen R, has a corrugated plate U, attached to it over which a rubber V is placed, said rubber being a corrugated plate having eyes (1) on its upper surface, which eyes are fitted loosely on a transverse shaft inthe shoe. The rubber V is somewhat shorter than the width of the shoe so that a certain degree of play is allowed it. The eyes (Z) are placed near the front edge of the plates so that its back part may rest upon the back part of the plate U, see figs. 1 and 3.

The chaff screen J, is formed of sheet metal plates one side of which are bent over as shown at (0) Figs. 4: and 5, to give strength to the plates. The ends of the plates (72) are secured to the side pieces (29) of a rectangular frame. The front or opposite side of the plates are cut or slitted back far as the bent edge and the pieces between the slits are bent upward, every alternate piece (g), being higher than the intermediate pieces The pieces are bent at an angle of about 30 and the pieces (1*) at an angle of about 10. The plates (at) are secured to the side pieces (p) arallel with each other, and the pieces (1"? of each plate overlap the turned or bent edges of their adjoining plates, see Fig. 4:. By this mode of construction, the pieces (9) are allowed to be bent upward at the requisite angle to loosen and agitate the chaff and at the same time fully cover the spaces underneath them, while a very open screen is obtained to allow the blast from the fan to pass freely through it.

The operation of the machine is as follows. The grain is threshed from the straw between the cylinder D and concave E and the straw is carried up by the apron O, and

discharged from its outer or elevated end,

as shown in red in Fig. 1. The grain passes through the apron C, and also through the space (6) and falls upon the chaff screen J, and passes through it upon the wheat screen. K, the blast from the fan blowing the chaff out at the end of the machine underneath the box B. The grain passes through the screen R, and falls upon the screen L and from thence into the spout M and passes into the elevator troughs N, and is conveyed by the elevators 0, up into any proper receptacle. The tailings, heads, &c., pass off the outer end of the screen K and fall upon the screen R and pass through or be tween the corrugated plates U, V, the plate V, in consequence of the shake motion of the shoe I working back and forth and causing said plate to thresh or loosen the grain from the heads. The loose foreign substances pass off through the spout S, and on the screen T while the grain passes through the screen T, into the lower. part of the spout S, and through an inclined spout W, into the spout M. The shoe I, has a spring (a) bearing against each side of it to prevent jars and concussions which would otherwise occur at each stroke or vibration.

The above implement has been practically tested and operates rapidly and well. The chaff screen owing to its construction as shown, cannot become choked or clogged and it allows the grain to pass readily through it. The rubbers or plates U, V, effectually separate the grain from the heads and tailings, the impure or foreign substances being thoroughly separated and discharged from the machine at a separate point or place.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The plates or rubbers U, V, placed in the shoe I, when the upper plate or rubber V, is hung upon a shaft (m) as described, so that it may vibrate laterally by the shake motion of the shoe, for the purpose speci- ALFRED BELGHAMBERS.

Witnesses:

WM. N. CAMPBELL, WILLIAM PARKER. 

